Electric lamp receptacle



1932. G. A. JOHNSON ETAL 3 L ELECTRIC LAMP RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 16, 1929 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 'PATET ail i111 i GUSTAF A. JOHNSON AND FRANK E. JOMSON, OF NEW BEDFOED, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS TO JOHN I. PAULDING, INQ, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC LAMP RECEPTACLE Application filed February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,879.

This invent-ion relates to receptacles for electric lamps in which means are provided for preventing rotary movement of'the receptacle in its mounting and although designed with special reference to illuminated signs, it is susceptible of use in various other types of electric fittings.

Electric illuminated signs are generally made of thin sheet metal provided with punched circular openings for receiving and holding the lamp receptacle, said openings being arranged to form letters or other designs. In some types of signs, a lug or tongue is struck down at the margin of each o enin for en a in a corres ondin recess b o a: b

in the receptacle to prevent rotary movement thereof. To permit straight wiring of the receptacles in the sign board, this construction involves care in positioning the lugs or tongues which unduly increases the cost of making the sign board. Various methods to obviate .this difliculty have been devised but these methods have generally complicated the construction of the receptacles.

The main object of our invention is the provision of a. receptacle of extremely simple form which may be mountedin a sign board or other mounting in any desired position necessary to secure straight wiring irrespective of the position of the locking lug or tongue. 7 v i Another object of the invention is the provision in a receptacle of means for holding the receptacle in any desired position against rotary movement in its mounting.

A further object of the invention is the production of a receptacle of the character described which may be manufactured at a minimum cost and installed rapidly and with a minimum of labor.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set. forth and described herein after.

Our invention contemplates a lamp receptacle including a spring holding ring provided with one or more recesses for receiving the locking lug or lugs on the mounting and adapted to ride'on a rim portion of the receptacle and 7 when forced against the mounting by the setting up of the receptacle therein to grip the edges of said rim to prevent rotary movement of said receptacle. The holding ring may be made in various forms of cross-section either angular or curved so that when placed on a rim portion ofthe receptacle, it rides on the edges thereof and when its apex or top is forced against the mounting by the setting up of the receptacle the two edges of the ring are spread apart under tension and thereby are caused to grip the edges of the rim portion to hold the receptacle against rotary movement.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of the invention, Figure l is a central vertical sectional'view of ,a receptacle constructed in accordance with the invention and shown locked in its mounting; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the receptacle;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same; I

Fig. 4: is a top plan view of one form of holding ring; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mounting provided with a circular opening for re- .ceiving and a lug for locking the receptacle and Fig. 6 is a detail view on an enlarged scale illustrating the action of the holding ring.

Referring to the drawing, the receptacle is shown as comprising two preferably circular parts of porcelain or other suitable insulating material; namely, a base portion 10 and a clamping ring 12. The base portion contains the usual lamp terminals compris ing a screw shell 14 set in a recess 16inthe top face of the base portion and two terminal plates 18 and 20 mounted within recesses 22 and 24 respectively in thebottom face of the base. The plate 18 is semi-circular in form and is connected at its two ends by screws 26 and washers 27 with the screw shell 14', which screws also serve to hold the shell and plate in position. A central lamp terminal 28 set in a. subrecess 30 is connected by a screw 32 to the straight terminal plate 20 and likewise holds these parts in fixed position. To insulate the shell from the central lamp terminal, a portion of the bottom of the shell 14 is removed to receive a raised other the recesses 22 and 24 conform to the outline of the two terminal plates 18 and 20 which have portions extending into wire grooves 36 and 38 respectively and carrying binding screws 40 and 42 respectively. The ends of said extensions are preferably bent outwardly to hold the wires 44 under the heads of the binding screwstFig. 1).

The clamping ring 12 is threaded on its interior to permit it to be screwed onto the outer threaded portion of the screw shell 14 and has a lower depending inner rim-46 adapted to fit the opening 48 in the mounting plate 50 and to project down'into the recess 16 in the base portion 10 between the outer rim 52 of said base portion and the screw shell 14 when the two parts "are in assembled relation. Preferably, the recess 16' of the body portion 10 is made of sufficient width to leave a' space between its rim portion 52 and the screw shell for receiving the rim 46 of the clamping ring in order to increase the stability of the receptacle'in its I mounting by increasing the length of the threaded engagement between the clamping ring and screw shell. The main body of the clamping ring is of approximately the same diameter as the base portion and thereby a shoulder 53 is formed which is adapted to engage the upper marginal face of'the mounting plate 50 around the opening 48.

For holding the receptacle against rotary movement in its mounting, we provide a holding ring 'convex-concavo in radial cross-section preferably made of spring metal. This ring may be made in various forms of radial cross-section and one such form is shown in the drawing in which the holding ring 54 is approximately right angled in radial crosssection thereby comprising two flanges in an the ringto a one lug opening but a greater or lesser number of such recesses may be provided. The ring is mounted on a rim portion of the receptacle in a straddling position to engage with its apexor top one side of the mounting (Fig. 6) and should be of a width sufficient to overlap the edges of the rim and of suficie'nt depth of concavity to .takeicar-e of the lug and render it unnecessary to provlde lug recesses in the rim of the receptacle. Inother words, the depth of concavity must be such that when it is lessened by thespreading apart of the edges of the ring in setting 'up the receptacle that the rim will not engage the lug and thereby restrict the setting up operation.

In mounting a receptacle made in accordance with our invention, the holding ring 54 may be placed in positionagainst the under face of the mounting plate 50 with the lug 58 in the recess 56 of the ring, the body portion 10 then placed against the ring in the desired position necessary to secure straight wiring through the grooves 86 and 38 and the clamping ring finally screwed onto the screw shell from the other side of the mounting plate. As the clamping ring is set up to draw the two parts of the receptacle together the edges of the holding ring are spread apart and thereby causedto' grip the edges of the rim of the body portion. During this operation,

"the body portion is held to prevent any rotation ofit from the screwing'action of the clamping ring but afterbeingproperly 'set up and locked the receptacle is thereafter secure against rotary movement" in its mounting.

It will be observed that by the use of our invention the construction of the receptacle is much simplified and the mounting of'it in any desired position either ina sign board or canopy or other mounting can be accomplished with great easean'd rapidity and that all rotary movement of'the receptaelein its mounting is eifectually' prevented. Our invention is of special advantage when used in mounting receptacles in illuminated sign boards. Heretofore a great many breakages of receptacles have occurred in sign boards mounted at a high-elevation 'or where they are exposed to the wind because of the fact that the receptacles were so firmly aflixed to the sign boards that there was no give during the swaying and vibration of the boards due to the wind pressure. In the use of our holding ring, however, the flanges of the ring will give to an appreciable extent and to an extent sufficient to compensate for any vibration or bending of the board under wind pressure and thereby relieves the receptacle parts from strains which otherwise might 'crack or rupture them. "This is anadvantage of considerable importance because the replacing of cracked'or brokenreceptacles in boards of this character is expensive.

It is-to be understood that our invention may be applied to receptacles 'of' various forms of construction and is not to be limited to a two-part receptacle orto the form herewith shown and described nor is the holding ring to be restrictedto the particular form shown sinoeany holding ring which is convex-conoavo in radial cross-section with its two edges ina'plane perp'endicular'toitscen- 'tral axis may be used for the purposesherei'n set forth. I

What we claim is; 7 v

1. A lamp receptacle having, in combination, a body portion provided with an annular rim and a screw shell, aclampingringthreaded on said screw shell for attaching said body portionto a suitable mounting and a holding ring mounted on said annular rim and adapted to engage one side of said mounting for preventing rotary movement of said body portion when said clamping ring is tightened; said holding ring being approximately right-angled in radial cross-section with both flanges straddling said annular rim.

2. A lamp receptacle having, in combination, abody portion having its top'face recessed to form an outer annular flange, a screw shell fastened to said body portion within said recess, a clamping ring threaded onsaidscrew shell for attaching said body portion to a suitable mounting and a holding ring mounted on said annular rim and adapted to engage said mounting for preventing rotary movement of said body portion in said mounting when said clamping ring is tight- .ened said holding ring being conveX-concavo in radial cross-section with its two edges strad ling said annular rim.

3. A lamp receptacle having, in combination,'a body portion having a screw shell secured thereto and being provided with an outer annular rim, a clamping ring threaded on said screw shell for attaching said body portion to a suitable mounting and a holding ring mountedon said annular rimand adapted to engage one side of said mounting for preventing rotary movement of said body portion in said mounting when said clamping ring is tightened against the other side of said mounting; said holding ring being substantially right-angled in radial cross-section with. its twoflanges straddling said annular rim, and being provided with a lug receiving recess.

i. A lamp receptacle having, in combination, a body portion having its top iace recessed to form an outer annular rim, a screw shell fastenedto said body within said recess and spaced from said rim,a clampingring threaded on said screw shell and having an annular shoulder for engaging one face of a receptaclemounting and a resilient holding ring mounted on said annular rim for engaging the other face of said mounting for holding said body portion against rotary movement thereon when said clamping ring is tightened said'holding ring being approximately-right-angled in radial cross-section with its two flanges straddling said annular rim and being provided with an apex recess for receiving a turned down lug in the mounting.

5. The combination with a sign plate having an opening therethrough of a lamp receptacle comprising a body portion having an annularouter rim, said body portion being of larger diameter than the opening in said sign plate and having a centrally disposed screw shell fastened thereto and projecting through the opening in said sign plate, a clamping ring threaded on said screw shell on the opposite side of said sign plate and having a portion projecting into and fitting said opening and a holding ring mounted on said annular rim of said body portion for engaging one side of said sign plate, said holding ring being approximately right-angled in radial cross-section with both flanges straddling said annular outer rim.

6. The combination with a sign plate having an opening therethrough, or a receptacle angled relation to each other and straddling said body portion.

i". The combination with a sign plate hava circular opening therethrough, of a lamp receptacle comprising two parts mounted on opposite sides of said sign plate,one oi said parts'being provided with an annular rim and a screw shell projecting through said opening the other oiisaid parts being threaded .on said screw shell and a holding ring mounted on. said annular rim and f A J: late ior adapted to engage one side of said holding said part agai st rotary .movement when said other part is set up on said screw shell; said holding ring being substantially right-angled in radial cross-section with its two flanges straddling said annular rim.

8. The combination of a sign plate having a circular opening therethrough, of a lamp receptacle comprising a body portion having an annular rim and a screw shell fastened thereto within said rim, said body portion being mounted on'one side/of said sign plate with said screw shell projecting through said opening, a clamping ring threaded on s id screw shell on the opposite side of said plate for engaging said opposite side and a holding ring interposed between said annular rim on said body portion and said plate for holding said body portion against rotary movement on said plate when said clamping ring is set up, sald holding ring being approximately right-angled in radial cross-section with its .flangesstraddling said annular rim.

9.- The combination with a sign plate hav- :1ng a circular opening therethrough, ofa rcceptacle for lamps comprising a body portion having an annular run and carrying ascrew shell, said body portionbeing mounted on one side of said sign plate with said screw shell projecting through said openin a clamping ring'threaded on said screw shell I on the opposite side of said sign plate and having a portion'fitting within said circular opening in said sign plate and a holding ring interposed between said annular rimand said sign plate for holding said body portion against rotary movement on said sign plate when said clamping ring is set up; said holding ring being approximately right-angled in radial cross-section with its flanges strad- I dlingsa'id annular rim.

10. The combination with a sign plate having a circular opening therethrough and a marginal lug at said opening, of a lamp receptacle mounted on one side of said sign plate and carrying a screw shell projecting through said opening, a clamping ring threaded on said screw shell for engaging the other side of said sign plate for mounting said receptacle thereon and a holding ring mounted on and straddling said body portion for engaging said sign plate said holding ring being of resilient spring material for holding said body portion against rotation on said sign plate when said holding ring is compressed by the tightening of said clamping ring; said holding ring comprising two annular flanges in right-angled relation to each other and in angular relation to the axis of said. ringand being provided with an apex recess for receiving thelu g on said plate.

11. The combination with a mounting having an opening therethrough and a marginal lug at said opening, of a lamp receptacle comprising a body portion and a clamping ring mounted on opposite sides of said mounting and being threaded together through the opening in said mounting and a holding'ring mounted on and straddling i said body portion for preventing rotation thereof; said holding ring comprising two annular flanges in right-angled relation to of said ring and being provided with an apex recess for receiving the lug on said plate.

- 12. The combination with a sign plate hav-' said plate and threaded together through said opening and a holding ring convexconoavo in radial cross-section and mounted on one of said parts for straddling the same and tor-"engaging one side of. said plate to prevent rotary movement 01": said part when compressed between said part and said plate.

13. The combination with a sign plate havceptacle comprising two parts mounted on opposite sides respectively of said plate and connected together through said opening and a holding ring convex-concave in radial cross section provided with a recess .for receiving the lug on said plate, said holding receptacle comprising two 'parts' ring beingmounted on'on'e of said parts for straddling the same and for engaging one side ofsaid plate to prevent rotary move.-

nular flanges in approximately right-angled relation to each other, said holding ring being mounted on one of said parts for straddling the same and forengaging one side of said plate to prevent rotary movement of said part when compressed between said part and said plate. v

15. The combination with a sign plate having a. circular opening therethrough and a marginal lug at said opening, of a lamp receptacle comprising two parts mounted on opposite sides respectively of said plate and locked together through said opening and a holding ring comprising two annular flanges in approximately right-angled relation to each other and-having an apex recess for receiving the lug on said plate, said holding ring being mounted on one of said'parts for straddling the same and 'for engaging one side of said plate to-prevent rotary movement of said part when compressed between said part and said plate.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set on; hands this eleventh day of February, 19 9. T

GUSTAF A. JOHNSON. FRANK E. JOHNSON.

' eachother and in angular relation to the axis 

